In recent years, novelty balloons have become quite popular. Not only are they often employed at parties and celebrations, but they are also often used individually to convey a message or to entertain children. In the past, it has been known to simply tether balloons on strings for display and use. More recently, sticks have been used for that purpose. Known balloon sticks often have cups attached to the end thereof, the cups being configured to receive and maintain the mouth and neck of the balloon for appropriate display. Sticks used for this purpose are typically quite rigid, with moderate flexibility. However, the sticks have a "memory" such that they seek and maintain a normally straight posture despite any flexing which might be experienced during employment.
It has recently become popular to employ extremely small or miniature balloons to develop balloon bouquets--quite similar to floral bouquets, but where balloons are employed instead of flowers. In order to more closely replicate flowers, the balloons are received and maintained in cups which are secured to wires by floral tape or the like. The wires, typically of copper, aluminum or formable steel, are then bent, twisted and formed to a configuration which replicates a flower stem or the like. Oftentimes, the wire itself is either pre-coated with a coating of desired color, or completely wrapped with floral tape. The use of such structure and technique has provided balloon bouquets of novel appearance, replicating that of a floral bouquet, development of such floral bouquets is both time consuming and expensive. The artisan must first adhere the balloon cup to the wire and then conceal the wire as by the implementation of floral tape or the like. Moreover, the combination of the stick and cup constitutes a two piece unit, both requiring inventorying and handling, as well as manipulation when in use.
The prior art has employed sticks with loops at the end thereof for threadingly receiving a balloon which was subsequently supported by a collar which slid upon the stick to engage the balloon. Such structures have been found to be difficult to use and inefficient in achieving an attractive end product.
There is a need in the art for an integral combination stick and cup, wherein the stick is easily shaped or formed and which retains that shape or form thereafter. Indeed, there is a need in the art for such an integral combination in which the stick and cup are of a straight elongate nature at manufacture, facilitating shipping and handling, and which may be easily formed into any of numerous desired shapes at the point of use, and retain those shapes following delivery to the end user.